Envelope



(No Model.) 7'

- (I'M. POSTER.

ENVELOPE.

No. 548,250. Patented Oct. 22, 1895 WITNESSES: [NI/EN TOR ANDREW EGRAHAM4 PHOTOMTNQWASMINEYON. 0.0.

ATTUHNEKS. 1

NrrE STATES CHARLES M. FOSTER, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK.

. ENVELOPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 548,250, dated October 22, 1895. Application filed July 1, 1895. Serial No. 554,560. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. FOSTER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Elmira, county of Chemung, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelopes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to envelopes, and the object thereof is to provide an envelope which, having been once sealed, cannot be opened without tearing or destroying the same; and with this and other objects in view the invention consists in an envelope constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, and in which- Figure 1 represents a blank from which my improved envelope is formed; Fig. 2, a back vlew of the envelope sealed, and Fig. 3 a back view of the envelope with the parts in position preparatory to the final sealing thereof.

In the practice of my invention I employa blank consisting of a body portion A, end flaps B, a side flap O, and the folding flaps D. The blank may be cut from a sheet of paper of any desired quality or color, and in one of the end flaps B is a conical slot b, the point or apex of which is directed outward, and formed on the other end flap is a tongue 1), adapted to be inserted through said slot b and provided on its opposite sides with projections 19 which are cut away or separated at their inner ends from the main body of the tongue and resemble the barbs of an arrow. The side 0 is provided with a slot 0, similar to the slot 1), and in one of the end flaps and the base of said side where it connects with the body of the envelope is a transverse slot c.

Formed on the folding flap B is'a tongue (I, provided with side projections or barbs (1', beyond which the tongue is extended,as shown at d and the outer surface of the tongue I), and also of the tongue d, are gummed in the usual manner.

In preparing the envelope for use the end flap B, having the slot B, is first folded over the body of the envelope in the usual manner, after which the flap B, having' the tongue I), is folded thereover and the tongue b inserted through the slot 6, so that the barbs or points 12 will interlock with the material of the flap B beneath the slot 19, as will be readily understood, and the gummed surface of the tongue 12' having first been moistened in the usual manner, the said end flaps may be pressed and sealed together, as will be readily understood, after which it will be impossible to separate them without the destruction of the separate parts. The side 0 is then folded over the end in the usual manner, and when it is desired to seal the envelope the flap D is folded over the side 0 and the extension d of the tongue at is inserted through the conical slot 0 and the longitudinal slot 0', so that the end thereof will project through, as shown in Fig. 2, and the barbs or points cl, connected with the tongue 01, will, as will be understood, interlock with the material of the side 0 adjacent to the slot 0, and the gummed surface of the tongue 01 having been moistened, the parts may be sealed together in the usual manner, after which the projection d of the tongue at may be torn off, as will be readily understood,when the envelope will be securely sealed and cannot be unsealed without tearingaway the tongue at or otherwise destroying the parts of the envelope.

The tongue (1 is provided with the projection d to facilitate the operation of'inserting the tongue in the slots preparatory to scaling the envelope.

It is evident that changes in the form, construction, and arrangement of the various parts of my improved envelope may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages, and I therefore reserve the right to make such alterations therein as fairly come within the scope of the invention.

Having fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut-- An envelope provided with end flaps, one of which has a conical slot, the apex of which is directed outward, and the other of which is provided with a tongue having side projections or barbs, formed thereon, said tongue being adapted to be inserted through said slot in the opposite end flap, said envelope being also provided with a side flap having a similar conical slot and a folding side flap provided with a tongue on which are formed side barbs or projections, said tongue being adapted to be inserted through the slot in the side flap, said side flap being also provided with a slot at its base in line with the conical slot and the said tongue on the folding flap being provided with an extension adapted to be passed through said longitudinal slot and to extend through the envelope, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 27th day of June, 1895.

CHARLES M. FOSTER.

W'itnesses:

MICHAEL J. OHARA, GEORGE M. HILL. 

